The wads of money, the fame and the high-profile life that comes with being a celebrity professional athlete?
No, what Chad Johnson has missed most since his recent arrest and subsequent release from the Miami Dolphins has more to do with a popular video game.
No longer in football, the former six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was hoping to get his football fix through Madden ‘13, only to find his own avatar no longer available.
It was an epiphany of sorts for the enigmatic 12-year veteran.
Tweeted Johnson: “That awkward moment when you realize you’re not on Madden13 and you have to create yourself.”
Johnson tweeted that message Wednesday to his 3,733,709 followers. Since he’s no longer on a roster, his avatar was moved to the game’s free agent pool.
That realization apparently led to some introspection. Through Twitter, Johnson then lamented his actions that led to his Aug. 11 arrest.
Police in Davie, Florida booked Johnson that night on charges of domestic battery for allegedly head-butting his wife following an argument. The two had been married barely a month before the altercation.
Johnson was released the following afternoon on a $2,500 bond, but the incident assured the end of his tenure with the Dolphins.
His wife formally divorced him just days later, prompting Johnson to seek a clean start in all facets.
Always an avid user of social media, he responded via Twitter to a fan who asked “why did you delete your bio?” by saying, “I got to start life over and create a new one.”
Johnson then politely rebuffed a fan who was trying to offer him sympathy for his current plight, saying none was necessary.
“I made the bed,” he tweeted, “now I gotta lay n it.”
Johnson’s downward spiral from his heady days as one of the league’s premiere receivers has been a steady one. He managed just 15 catches for 276 yards and a touchdown while playing for New England last year.
